Results for Parliament

PR 'Isileli Pulu asked for more money from the annual handouts to members from the House vote for their annual national tour. He asked the other members to forgive him because he was asking for $20,000 or $30,000 to "top up" some unfinished business. From the House. Minute No. 6, Monday night, June 15, 2009. Premium Content.

The Minister of Finance said that he had discussed with 'Isileli Pulu three times his concern about salaries, but unfortunately he still could not understand. The 10% salary rise for civil servants and 7% for all heads of departments amounted to $77.4 million, and it was in the budget. From the House. Minute No. 4, Thursday June 11, 2009. Premium Content.

Members wanted to break the law so that they could be issued with licences to harvest and export sea cucumbers. From the House. Minute No. 2, June 8, 2009. Premium Content.

The Prime Minister did not think there was any confusion in the speech of the king, and the concern expressed by members was their own misinterpretation. He said that if they read properly his reference to two years, they would know what the king meant. From the House. Minute No. 1, June 1, 2009. Premium Content.

The 2009 Session of the Tonga Legislative Assembly will be officially opened by HM King George Tupou V on Thursday, May 28.

I believe that most people are making a very critical mistake of thinking of democracy as a destination and not viewing it as a process. Democracy is not a certain model or a specific type of people's representation, and this point can be proven by the fact that no two democracies in the world are the same. At the heart of democracy are principles that increase transparency and accountability, but at the same time the success of accomplishing these ideals requires an informed and participating public.

I wish to suggest that we must slow down the current process, which is aimed at bringing about a radical change to the political system in Tonga by the year 2010. - Rev Dr Ma‘afu Palu

Modern Tonga was born, as Pacific historians claimed, out of a marriage of convenience between monarchy and Christianity, may I propose that postmodern Tonga should be conceived out of a marriage of necessity between philosophical, cultural, and political motifs and paradoxes which constitute Tonga's political reality. We need to reflect deeply on how to merge the present political reality and the democratic ideals, traditions and post-modernism, culture and politics, monarchy and democracy. Any attempt to create a short-cut solution by unreservedly embracing democracy is, nothing short of political suicide. - Senituli Penitani

Let's first talk about the US economy. We here in America are just fine. Our children are still well fed. They are still well clothed. They still lie down at night and say their prayers on a warm bed. We share with those who are not fortunate enough. The laughter and smiles we see and hear from our children makes us wonder if there is really a recession. We know there is a recession but we are going to walk out of it together. I don't have time to write all day so I will get to the point.